This invention relates to exercise devices that musicians use to adapt their fingers to the playing of their instrument. The musicians which play stringed instruments, keyboard instruments, and wind instruments realize that dexterity and the ability to stretch the hand and extend the reach of the fingers is critical to the proper execution of many musical passages upon the instrument.
Noted in prior art are exercise devices and apparatus designed to resist finger movements, thereby building muscles. Bonasera, U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,608, filed Aug. 23, 1988, is one such device. Pneumatics are employed in a number of prior devices, all primarily to enhance overall strength within the hand, or as a therapeutic aid in cases of damaged tendons and their related muscles in the carpal region. Hasegawa, U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,250, filed Oct. 28, 1986 is an example.
This invention spreads the hand and thereby the reach of the fingers, and if the musician will devote himself to a regimen of practice with an instrument and use of the exercise apparatus herein described greater manual dexterity and ability to spread the fingers are achieved. This ultimately assists a dedicated musician in developing greater musical skills in execution of difficult passages.
All developing and advanced musicians will benefit similarly, because the ability to extend the fingers and maintain control during extreme reaches of the fingers is crucial to the execution of many important and complex musical passages upon a wide variety of instruments.